New Year’S Eve Accidents Kill Two Pedestrian Struck By Car; Driver Hits Tree In Separate Incident

Sat., Jan. 2, 1999

By Adam Lynn adaml@spokesman.com

Two men died Friday from injuries suffered in separate accidents on Spokane streets, police said.

One victim was a 47-year-old homeless man who was hit by a car Thursday night.

The other was a 30-year-old Spokane man who wrecked his car while returning home from a New Year’s Eve party Friday morning.

The transient suffered massive head injuries about 9 p.m. Thursday when he stepped in front of a car on Division Street, just north of Kiernan Avenue, police spokesman Dick Cottam said in a press release.

Witnesses told police that just before the collision, the man was refused service at a nearby bar.

The victim was on life support at a local hospital until 3 p.m. Friday, when he died. Police withheld his name pending notification of next of kin.

The driver who hit him probably won’t be cited, police Cpl. Tom Sahlberg said. “All indications are the driver never had a chance to even see this guy,” Sahlberg said.

The other fatality occurred about 1:15 a.m. on Hatch Road in south Spokane.

Police said Jeffrey Phillips was driving home from a party when he lost control of his 1996 Subaru Legacy on the icy asphalt. The car slid off the road and hit a tree, killing Phillips instantly, Sahlberg said.

Police are investigating to see whether Phillips had been drinking before the wreck, although friends told investigators that wasn’t likely.

He was wearing his seat belt at the time of the wreck.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.